The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the 1.6 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams. At Lakota East:

Two students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. These students are Ian Mclean and Jennifer McPhee.

Eighteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Lillt Appelfeller, Michael Behan, Bernard Casey, Nathan Cramer, Lena Davis, Chethanya Eleswarpu, Cory Gregory, Yekaterina Khazanova, Taylor Kleineick, Kevin Landers, Hannah Lee, Ian McLean, Jennifer McPhee, Aimee Peng, Jonathan Sanders, Megan Scheitlin, Heidi Yang, and Kathryn Yochman. (over) Eighteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Sarah Dingeldein, James Hickman, Jonathan Hickman, Ashley Joa, Shamal Lalvani, Kevin Li, Elena Martinez, Mark Mathis, William Menges, Michael Poptic, Peter Roser, Mark Rustin, Brian Sell, Yingyan Wang,Corbin White, Nathan Williams, Marissa Woodrick, and Corinne Zachry.

Twenty-two students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Donald Armstrong, Megan Bittermann, Kelsey Carter, Katherine Cooney, Lauren Dudley, Derek Hubbard, Kyle Irwin, Kara Ladle, Emily Lafferty, Jessica Lange, Bradley Lasance, Kristen Pan, Trisha Patel, Benjamin Phillips, Kara Ruder, Bradford Schieve, Raminder Singh, Elizabeth Trentman, Kira Vincent, Samuel Wagers, Leah Wolf, and Kevin Wong.

Of this year’s award recipients at Lakota East, Seven were juniors: Derek Hubbard, Shamal Lalvani, Kevin Li, Kristen Pan, Samuel Wagers, Yingyan Wang, and Heidi Yang. These students have at least one more year in which to complete college-level work and possibly earn a higher-level AP Scholar Award.

Through 37 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admissions process. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that our exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal arts and research institutions. AP is accepted by more than 3,600 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam grades. This includes more than 90 percent of four-year institutions in the United States. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and higher graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,400 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

Contact: Laura Kursman, 874-5505 Date: September 18, 2009